Camera comprising an automatic focusing device

ABSTRACT

This digital camera comprises a lens system ( 5 ) for focusing the image of a subject ( 10 ) on a sensitive plate ( 7 ), a control system formed, inter alia, by a motor ( 8 ) that act on the lens system to ensure a sharp image of the subject on the sensitive plate.  
     To obtain this clarity of the subject on the plate, a first high-pass image filter ( 18 ) is used and a first low-pass image filter ( 15 ). As these filters also form part of the digital processing of image compression for recording the images, few additional means are to be provided for the automatic focusing that yields the clarity.

[0001] The invention relates to a camera comprising:

[0002] a lens system for focusing the image of a subject on a sensitive plate,

[0003] an image processing device utilizing filters for performing an image compression transformation,

[0004] a control system acting on the lens system to ensure a sharp image of the subject on the sensitive plate, the system comprising at least a first high-pass image filter and a first low-pas image filter in the form of summers of the results of the compression transformation.

[0005] The invention also relates to a focusing method for a camera.

[0006] The invention finds its application in digital cameras.

[0007] To obtain a proper focusing and thus a sharp image it is known that the transactions in the image are analyzed because they are often more abrupt on the subject to be photographed than on the background. It is estimated that the focal distance of the lens of the camera is optimal when the transitions in the image are the most abrupt.

[0008] The present invention proposes a camera for which the focusing is effected in a simple manner without needing too much additional material.

[0009] Therefore, such a camera is characterized in that said image filters utilize the filters of the image-processing device.

[0010] A focusing method utilized in a camera that comprises an image processing circuit in the form of high-pass and low-pass image filters is characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

[0011] estimation of the value of the output of at least one of said high-pass filters,

[0012] normalization of this value by means of the value of the output of a low-pass filter,

[0013] control of the focusing system with a view to obtaining a maximum value of the normalized signal,

[0014] release for taking the photo if the normalized value exceeds a certain threshold.

[0015] The idea of the invention is to take advantage of the calculations necessitated by the image compression technique known by the name of “wavelet technique” as mentioned in the standard JPEG 2000 to obtain the automatic focusing. The wavelet technique is well known. On this subject may be consulted European patent document EP 0 944 263 which mentions the new standard of image compression JPEG 2000.

[0016] These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from and will be elucidated with reference to the embodiment described hereinafter.

[0017] In the drawings:

[0018]FIG. 1 represents a camera according to the invention and

[0019]FIG. 2 represents a function flow chart of the apparatus according to the invention.

[0020]FIG. 1 represents an apparatus 1 according to the invention. This apparatus is formed by a lens 5 which focuses the images on a sensitive surface 7 of the CCD sensor type. The focal distance of the lens may change under the influence of a motor 8 controlled by a control circuit 9, so that the subject 10 placed in front of a background 12 can appear sharply on the sensitive surface 7. This surface is analyzed by an analysis circuit 13 to produce information about the various pixels that form the information. These pixels are then processed for performing image compression by an image processor 14, which utilizes a wavelet transformation. Image filters 15, 16, 17 and 18 are realized in that the results of the wavelet transformation are summed in a simple fashion. After compression, the captured image is stored in a memory device 20.

[0021] According to the invention the presence of these image filters is made use of for obtaining the focusing that ensures the clarity of the subject on the sensitive surface 7. This may be derived from information coming from a low-pass image filter 15 and a highpass filter 16. A sharp subject creates distinct transitions which make a contribution to the output of the high-pass filters, whereas the background situated farther away remains blurred and its contribution is thus less. All these filters may be one or two-dimensional.

[0022] From these four summers 15, 16, 17 and 18 are established four parameters: α, β,χ and δ respectively, which relates to the luminance data Y: $\begin{matrix} {\alpha = {\sum\limits_{LF}\quad Y}} \\ {\beta = {\sum\limits_{H\_ HF}\quad Y}} \\ {\chi = {\sum\limits_{V\_ HF}\quad Y}} \\ {\delta = {\sum\limits_{HF}\quad Y}} \end{matrix}$

[0023] It is estimated that the subject 10 sharply appears on the surface 7 when the output of at least one high frequency image filter (β, χ or δ) is maximal. The output of the low-frequency image filter 15 is used to do away with level variations and normalize as it were the value of the signals on the output of the filters α, χ or δ.

[0024] According to an example of embodiment, there will be a sharp image when the value HF_(c) will be maximal: ${HF}_{C} = \frac{\beta + \chi + \delta}{\alpha}$

[0025] In other cases an operation explained with the aid of the flow chart of FIG. 2 will be used.

[0026] First is examined (box K1) the value of the maximum HF_(c) obtained by the movement of the lens 5. If this maximum is higher than a certain threshold, the photo is taken which is indicated by box K3. If this value is lower than this threshold, the maximum value taken by the value HHF_(c) is examined (box K4): ${HHF}_{C} = \frac{\beta}{\alpha}$

[0027] If this value attains a maximum higher than a certain threshold S2, box K3 is proceeded to, if not, the value VHF_(c) is examined (box K6): ${VH}_{C} = \frac{\chi}{\alpha}$

[0028] If this value reaches a higher value than threshold S3, the photo is recorded (box K3), if not, a message or any other indicator signals that the focusing cannot be performed (box K10).

[0029] Obviously, the described processing is preferred on part of the image situated in the center of the sensitive surface 7, which facilitates the use of the apparatus. 

1. A camera comprising: a lens system for focusing the image of a subject on a sensitive plate, an image processing device utilizing filters for performing an image compression transformation, a control system acting on the lens system to ensure a sharp image of the subject on the sensitive plate, the system comprising at least a first high-pass image filter and a first low-pas image filter in the form of summers of the results of the compression transformation, characterized in that said image filters utilize filters of the image processing device.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the summers are filters adapted to the said compression of the wavelets.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the summers are filters adapted to the standard called JPEG
 2000. 4. An apparatus as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 3 comprising a plurality of image processing filters among which are high-pass and low-pass filters, characterized in that the output of at least one of the high-pass filters is estimated while taking the value of the output of a low-pass filter into account.
 5. A method utilized in an apparatus as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 4 comprising an image processing circuit formed by high-pass and low-pass image filters, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: estimation of the value of the output of at least one of said high-pass filters, normalization of this value by means of the value of the output of a low-pass filter, control of the focusing system with a view to obtaining a maximum value of the normalized signal, release for taking the photo if the normalized value exceeds a certain threshold.
 6. A method as claimed in claim 5 , characterized in that it further includes the following steps when said threshold value is not exceeded: estimation of another value coming from one of said high-pass filters, release for taking the photo if this other value exceeds a threshold, taking another output of another high-pas filter into account if the latter threshold is not exceeded. 